Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1887-12-17
FOLLOWING UP A CLEW.

FOLLOWING UP A CLEW.
On the day when she felt her end ap-
preaching and that life was slowly leav-
ing her, just as the oil in her china lamp
gently sank on a winters night, Mile
Aglae put her skinny hands upon the head
OF her pug Mira and shed copious tears,
after which, turning to her faithful SER
want, Gertrude, she said in weak, sad
voice:
II am leaving you all my fortune, Ger
trude, but on condition that, when am
gone, you will take the same care of
Mira as have done. The poor creature
will need all your affection TO console her
for my loss. Swear. to me that death
alone will separate you from hertz
Gertrude swore on al that she held
most dear, that is upon the remains of her
parrot Leocadie, which she had sadly seen
depart this life from the effects of a too
rash indulgence in parsley, and which the
skill of a taxidermist had enabled her to
preserve, upon gilded perch, with wide
spread wings, in the ecstatic attitude of a
parrot winging its fight to a better
world
Nile. Aglae died peacefully after this,
be sacredly kept. Her confidence was not
misplaced, as Gertrude was @ woman of
her word, and the whole town of Brique-
vile was edited by the conscientious zeal
she displayed in carrying out her mis-
tress' last wishes. Never had q quadru-
ped been the object Of more delicate at
tention, nor of more unremitting kind
ness than was this precious pug of Mile.
Aglae Not only did it have at all times
on its plate food that would have satisfied
nine out of every ten human beings, but
it was watched over and petted to such an
extent that no child could have desired
happier existence. Its wardrobe con-
sisted of about twenty coats, jackets and
dresses, the making and fitting of which
were to Gertrude a labor of love. She
had prepared clothes for the animal suita-
BILE to all kinds of weather, and in dress
ing the creature she guided herself closely
by the indications of the thermometer
hanging upon the window frame.
The consequences of this kind of living
were not long in coming. At the end of
year Mira died from the effects of pie
thora of health.
Great and sincere was Gertrude's grief
She broke the set of her finest dozen of
towels to shroud the icy remains of her
friend. Then, as she reflected that she
did not know what to do with the dead
animal, she became prey to the most
poignant anguish.
In truth, she was at loss as to what to
do. Bury the remains in the garden? No,
she could not muster up the courage to do
that; the proximity of the grave would
have afflicted her with an incurable
melancholy Where then would she put
the pet? In the depth of her despair an
inspiration flashed, lightning like, through
her mind; the kind Monsieur Gregoire.
the beadle of Saint Ursula's church,
would assist her in this, her hour of sor-
row. He was SO good, so obliging! With
out moments delay she dispatched O
- how ,cichhnr's con. with n message,
begging him to come to see her immedi-
ately. Half an hour later NJ. Gregoire
arrived.
He found the unfortunate Gertrude in
the parlor, the blinds of which were
closed, and which, by four lighted tapers,
was formed into kind of mortuary
chapel. She was seated upon lounge,
where, wrapped in its white towel as if in
winding sheet, the pug lay stretched out
on it's back. Somewhat moved by the
sight, NJ. Gregoire DOTTED his hat
He was about to cross himself, when,
with sign, Mile. Gertrude stopped him.
In few words, intermingled with sobs,
she related her troubles and explained
what she expected of him.
Especially concluded she, 81 wish
you to bury the body far from here, and
to keep me in ignorance of the spot, for if
/ knew where to find the grave l would
go every day and wear my eyes out in
weeping over it..
NJ Gregoire promised all that was
asked.
Il will come this evening"" said he,
latter dark, to take away the body. AS
you know, people are so funnyl Seeing
me would be enough to set them gossip
ing"
He returned, as he had promised, at s
O'Clock. A long cloak hung from his
shoulders to his heels. Gertrude uttered
a cry and clasped her hands together,
when he drew from under the mantle an
oblong poplar box Of the same shape and
size as q violin case.
"a coffinl A real coffin! Oh, Monsieur
Gregoire, you are really too kindr,
For ones friends" replied the beadle,
with his most unctuous smile, zone can't
do too much. Besides, you know the
proverb,n added he, as he pointed to the
rigid body, "The friends of our friends are
our friends IE
Half an hour later Monsieur Gregoire
went off with step Of becoming gravity,
bearing under his arm the mournful bur
den eonfided to his pious care. !.
%-T --s 80
and you say you found it in a field
near the hospitalr'
Near the military hospital; yes. cor
poral.
in clearing up the field?''
SIN clearing it up
with your plows''
with my plow.'
That's peculiari''
Corp Poireau stopped writing to scratch
his nose with the point of his pencil
sit is very peculiar repeated he,
drawing the word out to its full length.
II shall refer the matter to my ranking
ofiicerr'
And the corporal referred the matter to